Large thin sheet handling tool



Jan. 7, 1964 M. ALTH LARGE THIN SHEET HANDLING TOOL Filed May 16, 1961 FIG.I

INVENTOR United States Patent f 3,116,919 LARGE THEN SEHEET HANDLING TOOL Max Alth, 6 Tamarack Road, Portehester, NX. Filed May 16, 1961, Ser. No. 110,517 2 Claims. (Cl. 269-21) My invention relates to vacuum pressure tools for the handling and manipulation of large thin, smooth sheets of material, generally used in building, such as plywood panels, plastic panels, sheet rock or plaster board or drywall panels.

As is common knowledge to those engaged in the building trades, it is difiicult, arduous and time consuming to raise and hold large sheets of plywood or plaster board panels overhead for the purpose of nailing those sheets permanently to the ceiling joists or rafters. In most instances it is necessary that scaffolding of a sort be erected for the purpose of supporting the working men sufficiently above the ground so that they can raise, with their hands, the large sheets of material. On most jobs the time needed, and the labor involved in raising and placing the ceiling sheets is twice and more times that required to place and nail the sheets of material that go on the wall, though there is usually four times as much wall area.

It is the purpose of this invention to reduce the time, labor, and number of men required to raise and hold thin sheets of building material aloft for the purpose of nailing or otherwise fastening them to the ceiling members.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide a simple, low-cost tool, light in weight and easy of manufacture that can be used by men on the ground at normal working level for the purpose of raising and holding securely aloft sheets of building materials such as sheet rock, plaster board, plywood, or similar material.

To phrase the purpose of my invention another way: this invention will make it possible for two men to raise a large sheet of smooth, thin building material from a position on the floor to an overhead position; to place the sheet firmly against the ceiling joists or rafters accurately, and to securely and safely leave the sheet of material in place on the tools while the working men go about another task, which may be that of nailing the sheet of material in place.

A better understanding of the general and more specific possible uses of this invention may be realized, perhaps, by means of the following description of the work now necessary to install sheet rock panels.

Sheet rock panels are usually 4 X 8 x /2 thick. Even larger lengths are preferred as the longer lengths require less taping. A scaffold is erected. This is such as to permit the working men to comfortably touch the ceiling rafters or joists. Two men raise the sheet of material on to their heads. They either press the sheet rock by means of their heads against the ceiling members, or use their hands to lift the large sheet upwards. At the same time they position the sheet carefully along side its neighbor, and nail the sheet in place. Then they step down from the scaffold and bring up the next sheet.

This invention will eliminate the necessity for the scaffold. The working men will be able to raise the sheet to the ceiling members while they stand on the normal working level. When the sheet is in place the tool will safely keep it there. They can now fasten the sheet at their convenience.

Still another description of the object of my invention is: a tool for lifting a large, thin, smooth, sheet of material overhead and holding it in place against the ceiling members.

FIGURE 1, which accompanies this application, illustrates the major portions of my invention. The figure illustrates a vertical section of the tool with its handle Patented Jan. 7, 1964 shortened in relation to the suction or vacuum forming end.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of my device with the sheet of material removed.

Referring specifically to the various parts: 1 is the sheet rock or the material to be lifted. 2 is one of the rings of soft rubber that serve to support the sheet rock and to provide the air seal enabling the vacuum to be produced and maintained. 3 is the guard that supports the sheet by means of the rubber rings. 4 is one of the many holes through the guard which permits the air tobe partially removed by the action of the rubber membrane, which is 5. 6 is the cast metal frame that supports the guard and the seals, and the rubber membrane. 7 is the Wire rod that actuates the membrane that produces the partial vacuum that holds the sheet to the rubber gaskets. 8 is the simple lever arrangement that is used to pull or release the rubber membrane to produce the desired vacuum. 9 is a simple ratchet set-up that permits the handle to be extended or telescoped as desired. 10 is a length of pipe that slides into the upper section of pipe. The lower section of pipe has holes that engage ratchet 9. 11 is a wood base that rests on the working floor when the panel is raised to the ceiling joists or rafters.

In operation the tool is hand held and the top of the cup is pressed against the flat side of the sheet to be raised. The rubber rings 2 are positioned to make even and firm contact with the surface of the sheet. The operating lever 8 is then pulled up thus pulling the rubber membrane down and producing a vacuum on one side of the sheet of building material. Air pressure on the other holds the sheet firmly against the lifting tool.

Two tools are of course necessary with a long panel, one man lifting each end of the panel simultaneously. With the panel properly placed against the ceiling joists, the leg of the tool is extended, and the tool now carries the weight of the panel, and the working men can now use both hands to fasten the sheet in place.

It should be understood that the vacuum cup method of holding large smooth sheets of material is not new; this tool has been used for many years with sheets of plate glass. The ratchet device on the handle of the tool, too, is not new, and has been used in many devices many times. It should be understood that this inventor makes no claims whatsoever to the forementioned simple vacuum cup and telescoping tool leg.

What this invention does, claim as new and novel and desires to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A hand operated vacuum cup tool for holding by means of suction large sheets of thin material without damage to said sheets, said tool having a large diaphragm which develops the suction used to hold the sheet of ma terial to the tool, a telescoping handle, a metal frame mounted at one end of said handle, said diaphragm mounted on said frame, a perforated guard firmly mounted upon the metal frame above the diaphragm, said guard having a number of raised soft rubber rings upon it which serve to seal the sheet to be handled to the tool when the vacuum is developed and also support the thin sheet so held and prevent it from being deformed by the vacuum developed when the diaphragm is distended, a lever mounted on the handle, means connecting said lever to said diaphragm, whereby the lever is adapted to operate the diaphragm, said handle consisting of two or more telescoping lengths one of which is fitted with a simple pawl and another of which is fitted with a simple ratchet so that the length of the handle may be fixed or released by the operator as desired, said handle being further equipped with a padded foot at the end other than that which is fastened to the metal frame which supports the diaphragm and the perforated guard.

2. A tool for handling large thin sheets of material, said tool consisting of a metal ring, a rubber membrane supported by and fastened at its edges to said metal ring, a perforated guard mounted to the said metal ring above said rubber membrane, said guard being fastened at its edges to said metal ring, a number of soft rubber rings fastened to the upper surface of said guard which contact the large sheets of material .to be handled when the tool is used, a handle fastened to the other side of the said metal ring opposite said membrane and said guard, said handle consisting of several telescoping members, a lever pivotally mounted on one of said members, one end of said lever being free, a metal rod connected at one of its ends to the other end of said lever, the other end of said rod being linked to the diaphragm, this arrangement of parts being for the purpose of distending and releasing the membrane forthe purpose of causing the holding vacuum and releasing it, a simple pawl and ratchet means mounted between said telescoping members so that the length of the handle may be adjusted by the operator of the tool, locked in length and released,a padded foot mounted on the end of the handle opposite the end that is fastened to the metal ring for resting the entire tool upon the floor and other working surfaces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A HAND OPERATED VACUUM CUP TOOL FOR HOLDING BY MEANS OF SUCTION LARGE SHEETS OF THIN MATERIAL WITHOUT DAMAGE TO SAID SHEETS, SAID TOOL HAVING A LARGE DIAPHRAGM WHICH DEVELOPS THE SUCTION USED TO HOLD THE SHEET OF MATERIAL TO THE TOOL, A TELESCOPING HANDLE, A METAL FRAME MOUNTED AT ONE END OF SAID HANDLE, SAID DIAPHRAGM MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME, A PERFORATED GUARD FIRMLY MOUNTED UPON THE METAL FRAME ABOVE THE DIAPHRAGM, SAID GUARD HAVING A NUMBER OF RAISED SOFT RUBBER RINGS UPON IT WHICH SERVE TO SEAL THE SHEET TO BE HANDLED TO THE TOOL WHEN THE VACUUM IS DEVELOPED AND ALSO SUPPORT THE THIN SHEET SO HELD AND PREVENT IT FROM BEING DEFORMED BY THE VACUUM DEVELOPED WHEN THE DIAPHRAGM IS DISTENDED, A LEVER MOUNTED ON THE HANDLE, MEANS CONNECTING SAID LEVER TO SAID DIAPHRAGM, WHEREBY THE LEVER IS ADAPTED TO OPERATE THE DIAPHRAGM, SAID HANDLE CONSISTING OF TWO OR MORE TELESCOPING LENGTHS ONE OF WHICH IS FITTED WITH A SIMPLE PAWL AND ANOTHER OF WHICH IS FITTED WITH A SIMPLE RATCHET 